hidden europe 30

An immortal mortar

by hidden europe

Summary

It is a little known fact that the entire course of European history has been shaped by mortars and pestles. We unravel a little tale from Venice that highlights why the mortar deserves pride of place in any good culinary armamentarium.

The mortar and pestle take pride of place in the hidden europe kitchen. No other instrument in our culinary armamentarium carries such weight, is so laden with potential or just feels as lovely as a heavy mortar and pestle shaped from high quality basalt. We are not alone in having an eye for a good mortar and pestle. Frederick the Great, despotic ruler though he may have been, had his own mortar and pestle. Naturally it was embellished with the imperial monogram.

Mortars (and pestles too of course) figure frequently in literature. The Book of Numbers has a nice piece about ground coriander while the Book of Proverbs advises that kitchen instruments have no place in character-building. “Pound the fool in a mortar as you may, you will not separate him from his folly,” reads the verse.

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